Half to john woodruff culmer



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. E. ABRAHA'MS.

AIR 0R GAS METER.

Patented Men.v 15

ATENT rrr GEORGE E. ABRAHAMS, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGN OR OF ONE- HALF TO JOHN XVOODRUFF CUL VANIA.

MER, OF N EWV BRIGHTON, PENNSYL- AIR AND GAS METER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,814, dated March 15, 1892.

Application filed May 20, 1891. Serial No. 393,428.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE E. ABRAHAMS, a subject of the Queen of England, residing at Birmingham, England,have invented new and useful Improvements in Air and Gas Meters, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great'Britain, No. 18,588, hearing date August 29, 1890,) of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to meters for measuring both fluids and liquids; and my improvements therein consist of certain .novel parts and combinations of parts, which are particularly pointed out in the claims concluding this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section of a meter embracing my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 0c 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a plan of the spring resistancegovernor on the registeroperating shaft. Fig. 5 shows in detail section, taken on the line A B of Fig. 2, the relation of the blades of the revolving wheel with the fixed blades of the measuring-chamber; and Fig. 6 shows an alternative arrangement of resistance-governor.

The casing of the meter consists of two parts-an outer casing a,in which are provided the inlet-passage a and the outlet-passage a and an inner casing b, which forms the cover for the outer casing, carries the several working parts of the meter, and forms the measuring-chamber 1) thereof. For this purpose the chamber-forming part 2) depends centrally within the outer casing and fits it accurately at the joints of the passages for the flow into and from the measuring-chamber. This construction gives the important advantage of permitting the removal of the inner casing with the working parts of the meter together, so that they may be cleaned and repaired and replaced without disturbing the joints of the induction and eduction pipes. The inner casing is open at the top to receive the mechanism for indicating in cubic feet or gallons the air, gas, or liquid passing the meter. WVithin the open bottom of the inner casing is fitted a light casting e, of ring form, having a webbed center and radial ortangential blades (No model.) Patented in England August 29, 1890, No. 13,588.

e'arouud the web,con nectinga circumferential flanged ring 6 by which this casting is fitted closely within and secured to the lower end of the center casing, as seen in Fig. 2. The blades e of this casting are arranged to present oblique surfaces to the flow through the spaces between them, and they are curved at their lower edges e so that the spaces 6 between them are wider than at their upper edges, as seen in Fig. 5, and open into the bottom inlet-chamber a of the outer casing to allow a free entering flow through the oblique spaces 6, formed by these blades. This casting forms a stepped bearing e for the shaft 0, which carries the revolving measuring-wheel and actuates the registering mechanism, the baseplates of which has the bearing cl for the upper 1 end of said shaft. bladed casting is the measuring-wheel, formed, also, of a light casting, having a ring-webbed Supplementing this fixed center partf, by which it is secured to the shaft 0, and around which are formed radial or tangential blades fQ arranged to present oblique surfaces to the flow in a direction opposite to that of the fixed blades 6, as seen in Fig. 5. The wheel-blades f are also curved at their lower edges f so as to widen the spaces f between them and allow of a free entering flow through them in a direction opposite to that of the flow through the fixed blades, so as to impinge at a proper angle against the wheel-blades, and thereby cause the wheel to revolve and actuate the registering mechanism to measure the flow. -Iprefer to have the Wheel-blades open at the circumference for lightness and to mount the wheel free of contact with the fixed webbed casting and the walls of the inner casing.

Referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the widest curved part of the spaces f of the wheel-blades revolve over and contiguous to the narrowest strongest part of the spaces 2 of the fixed oblique blades, so that the flow under pressure from the latter is caused to impinge with accelerated velocity in an oblique direction against the oppositely-arranged oblique surfaces of the blades of the wheel. By this construction the flow is confined to an annular space around the inner wall of the innercasiugintersected by fixed curved blades and in direct communication with the inflow chamber a of the outer casing and the out flow-chamber b of the inner casing, which at its upper part has openings a in its vertical walls, which open into the outflow-chamber of the outer casing.

On the wheel-shaft above the wheel and within the chamber of the inner casing I mount a self-regulating resistance-governor, which I prefer to make of two flat curved spring-plates g, so fixed that as the wheel and its shaft revolve the curved spring-plates have a tendency to straighten, and thus present a greater surface, and consequently create a greater resistance to their revolution in the fluid or liquid. The width of the thin blades for this purpose is considerable, and they are sufficiently elastic and curved in such a way as to readily straighten out at their free ends under resistance to their revolution, and thereby maintain a uniform velocity of the measuring-wheel, which is important for accurate measurement of the flow. For this purpose I may use other constructions of resistance-governorssuch as that shown in Fig. 6, which are adapted to be arranged within the measuring-chamber and upon the shaft of the measuring-wheel. In this modification of governor the resistance is effected by the employment of swinging cup or ladle shaped arms, which are mounted so as to spread outwardly under an increase of velocity, and, having to travel through a correspondingly greater space, tends to retard the speed of the shaft, and thus govern the speed of the wheel.

The shaft has a worm 2', by which it is connected to the register mechanism, which is arranged at s in-the cap to and maybe of any suitable construction.

'16 is an oil-cup.

The curve of the \vheeLblades and their relation to the fixed blades are such as to cause the wheel to revolve with uniformity and with minimum expenditure of power, and it is this which gives accuracy of measurement and adapts the meter for both gas and water.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an air, gas, or liquid meter, the combination, with the measuring-chamber thereof having a bottom annular inlet-space intersected by blades arranged to present oblique surfaces to the flow, a wheel having blades arranged in opposite oblique relation to the bottom blades and contiguous thereto, and a resistance-governor on the shaft of said wheel, substantially as described.

2. In an air, gas, or liquid meter, a measuring device consisting of a chamber having an annular inlet-space intersected by fixed radial blades, a wheel having radial blades,

the blades intersecting said space and the blades of the wheel curved and arranged in opposite oblique relation to each other, and a resistance-governor on the shaft of said wheel, substantially as described.

3. In an air, gas, or liquid meter, the combination, with the measurin g-chamber thereof having .a bottom annular inlet-space intersected by radial blades curved and arranged obliquely therein, a wheel having radial blades curved and arranged in opposite oblique relation to the bottom blades, and a resistance-governor on the shaft of said wheel, consisting of thin spring-plates having their free ends curved in the direction of the rotation of said wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. ABRAIIAMS.

Witnesses:

G. BYERS HARPER, F. Oo'rTRELL. 

